Tobacco-stripping machine.



W. P. HAMMOND.

TOBACCO STRIPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1913.

LMQAMO Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES l/VVE/VTOR P/W I 3mm A TTORNEV THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. P. HAMMOND.

TOBACCO STRIPPING MACHINE.

APPtICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1913.

l m fio Patented May 25, 1915.

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WILLIAM P. HAMMOND, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

TOBACCO-STBIPPING MACHINE.

Application filed September 19, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. HAM- MOND, citizen of the United States, residing at Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco- Stripping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in tobacco leaf stripping machines, and has for its ob ject to provide a machine of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby the stems may be quickly and inexpensively removed from the leaves with out unduly mutilating and tearing the to bacco.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a tobacco leaf stripping machine which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which requires but a small amount of power for its operation, and which acts in a quick and eflective manner to stem the leaves.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims,

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through a tobacco stripping machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the machine. Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view of one of the leaf trays and a portion of one of the side guide members, the tray being shown as about to pass into engagement with the guide member, and portions being broken away. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of the leaf trays with the clamping wing swung upwardly, the end of the tray being broken away. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one corner of the leaf tray, showing the roughened or corrugated inner surface of the leaf clamping wing. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a modification in which the leaf supporting surface of the tray is provided with longitudinal corrugations. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented May 25, 1%15.

Serial No. 790,768.

View of a portion of the comb which is provided for scraping the stripped stems from the trays. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the leaf trays, showmg a modification in which the clamping wing is provided with means for cleaning the stripping brushes.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the main frame or table upon which the stripping mechanism is mounted. A pair of transverse shafts 2 and 3 are journaled upon the main frame 1 at opposite ends thereof, the said shafts being provided with corresponding sprocket wheels 1 around which the endless belts or chains 5 pass. Any suitable means may be employed for driving the endless belts, and in the present instance the shaft 3 is illustrated as having a pulley 6 fitted upon one end there of, the said pulley being connected by a belt 7 to the pulley 8 of a motor 9.

A pair of stripping brushes 10 and 11 6X tend transversely across the top of the main frame or table 1 and are disposed directly over the upper reaches of the endless belts 5 so as to act upon leaf carrying trays 12 as the latter are carried under the brushes by the endless belts. The two brushes are preferably of different textures, the brush 10 which acts initially upon the tobacco leaves applied to the trays 1:2 being finer than the second brush 11 which subsequently acts upon the tobacco leaves. The two brushes 10 and 11 are stationary with respect to the leaf carrying trays, although they are preferably yieldably mounted. For this purpose the ends of the brushes may have a sliding connection with vertical guide rods 18 which are carried by and project downwardly from brackets 14 applied to the main frame, coil springs 15 being applied to the guide rods so as to act upon the heads of the brushes and normally hold the same yieldingly in operative position. In order that the leaf carrying trays 12 together with the tobacco leaves clamped thereon may pass readily under the stripping brushes, the forward side of the brush 10 is deflected upwardly at 10 and the forward side of the brush l1 deflected upwardly in a similar manner at 11*.

A shelf 16 is provided at the feed end of the machine, the said shelf being suitably supported by means of the brackets 17. The leaf carrying trays are placed upon this shelf preparatory to being fed to the endless belts 5, the said belts being provided with suitable lugs or fingers 18 for engagement with the rear ends of the trays 12 to carry the trays through the machine. The forward end of each of the trays 12 is provided with a leaf clamping wing or bar 19 which is connected thereto by a spring hinge 20, the said spring hinge normally tending to swing the clamping wing upwardly into inoperative position, as indicated by Fig. 1. The tobacco leaves A are designed to be placed upon the trays 12 with the stems at the forward ends of the trays, the said trays providing a backing or supporting surface for holding the leaves" in position "as they are acted upon by the stripping brushes.

The inner faces of the clamping wings or bars 19 are adapted to be swung downwardly into engagement with the stems of the leaves A as the trays 12 are carried through the machine, and in order to insure an effective clamping action the said inner faces of the wings 19 are preferably provided with the longitudinally disposed serrations or corrugations 19 Guide strips 21 extend longitudinally along opposite sides of the main frame 1 and are provided at the forward ends thereof with the upturned portions 22. When the tray 12 is pushed forwardly from the shelf 16 and fed to the endless belts 5, the opposite ends of the clamping wing or bar 19 are brought into engagement with the upturned ends 22 of the guide strips 21 so as to force the said clamping wing downwardly into operative position and cause it to positively engage the stem ends of the tobacco leaves A upon the tray 12. As the two endless belts 5 move a set of the fingers 18 are brought into engagementwith the rear end of the tray 12 so as to carry the same under the stripping brushes 10 and 11. These two stripping brushes act successivelyupon the.

leaves and the tobacco is very effectively removed from the stems without undue tearing and mutilation, owing to the fact that the leaves rest in a flat position upon the trays and are supported by a flat backing surface during the stripping operation.

The tobacco removed by the finer stripping brush 10 drops through the guide chute 23 to a basket 24 resting upon the floor, while the tobacco removed by the second stripping brush 11 drops through a second guide chute 25 into a second basket 26 which also rests upon the floor.

At the discharge end of the machine the clamping wing or bar 19 of the leaf carrying tray 12 emerges from under the guide strips 21 and springs upwardly so as to re lease the stems of the leaves. A comb or scraping member 30 which is supported by brackets 27 projecting from the main frame 1 then engages the stripped stems to re move the same from the trays, the said stems. dropping upon a guide member 28 and being caused thereby to fall in a pile upon the fioor. When the trays 12 reach the discharge end of the machine they pass from the endless belts'5 to an inclined shelf 29 which drops them in a pile upon the floor.

A slight modification is shown by Fig. 7 in which the upper surface of the leaf supporting tray 12 is provided withlongitudi- These nal serrations or corrugations l2. corrugations are not only of assistance in clamping and retaining the tobacco leaves in position, but may also be of assistance to the stripping brushes in removing the tobacco from the stems.

A further modification is shown by Fig. 9, in which the clamping wing or bar 19 is provided with a brush cleaning member '31 for engaging and cleaning the stripping brushes before they act upon the tobacco leaves. It will be observed that this brush cleaning member 31 is so mounted upon-the clamping wing 19 as to be swung upwardly into operative position at the same time that the clamping wing is swung downwardly into engagement with the leaf stems.

In the operation of the machine, the tobacco leaves A may be placed upon the tray 12 while the same rests upon the feed shelf 16, the said leaves resting flat upon the tray so as to be supported by a flat backing surface. The tray 12 is then shoved forward so as to cause the clamping bar or wing 19 to be forced downwardly by the guide strips 21 and at the sametime bring the rear ment by the fingers 18 of the endless belts 5. VThe tray is then carried successively under the two stripping brushes 10 and 11 which operate effectively upon the tobacco leaves to stem the same, the stripped tobacco dropping into the baskets or receptacles 241 and 26. As the trays reach the discharge end of the machine the stripped tobacco stems are scraped therefrom by the comb 30 and drop into a pile upon the fioor, the trays themselves passing over the inclined shelf 29 and also dropping into a pile upon the floor. 7

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is A 1. A tobacco leaf stripping machine in cluding a movable conveyer, stationary leaf stripping means arranged upon one side of the path of the conveyer, a leaf clamping member, and means for obtaining a detachable and interlocking connection between the leaf clamping member and the conveyer for bringing the leaves 1nto cooperative relation with the leaf stripping means.

2. A tobacco leaf stripping machine in cluding a movable conveyer, a guide member at one side of the conveyer, stationary leaf stripping means at one side of the path of the conveyer, a leaf clamping member, and means for detachably connecting the leaf clamping member to the conveyer to bring the leaves into cooperative relation with the leaf stripping means, said leaf clamping member engaging the before mentioned guide member while being moved by the conveyer.

3. A tobacco leaf stripping machine, including a movable conveyer, a stationary stripping brush arranged upon one side of the path of the conveyer, a guide member at one side of the conveyer, a leaf clamping member formed with cooperating jaws for gripping the leaves, and means upon the conveyer for detachably engaging the leaf clamping member to move the leaves into 00- operative relation with the stripping brush, the said leaf clamping member engaging the before mentioned guide while being moved by the conveyer and the said guide serving to lock the jaws of the leaf clamping member in a closed position.

4-. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface and stem clamping means, stripping means, and means for moving the tray into cooperative relation with the stripping means.

5. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface and a normally open stem clamp, stripping means, means for moving the tray into cooperative relation with the stripping means, and means for automatically closing the stem clamp as the tray is advanced.

6. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface and a normally open stem clamp, stripping means, a belt adapted to engage the tray and carry it into cooperative relation with the stripping means, and means for automatically closing the stem clamp as the tray is advanced.

7. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a flat leaf supporting surface and a normally open stem clamp, a stationary stripping brush, an endless belt adapted to engage the tray to carry the same into cooperative relation with the stationary stripping brush, and means for automaticall closing the stem clamp as the tray is advanced.

8. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a flat leaf supporting surface, a normally open stem clamping bar applied to the tray, stripping means, an endless belt adapted to engage the tray and carry the same into cooperative relation with the stripping means, and a guide strip having a deflected end adapted to engage the clamping bar to close the same as the tray is advanced and retain it in a closed position while the stripping means is acting upon the leaves carried by the tray.

9. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface, a normally open leaf clamp applied to the tray, a stripping brush, means for moving the tray under the stripping brush, means for automatically closing the leaf clamp and retaining it in a closed position as the tray passes under the stripping brush, means for collecting the tobacco, and means for removing the stripped stems from the tray.

10. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface, a normally open leaf clamp applied to the tray, a stationary stripping brush, an endless belt provided with fingers adapted to engage the tray to move the same under the stripping brush, guide strips having deflected ends adapted to engage the leaf clamp and close the same as the tray is advanced under he stripping brush, means for collecting the tobacco, and means for removing the stripped stems from the tray.

11. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a main frame having a tray supporting shelf at one end thereof, an endless belt upon the main frame, stripping means mounted over the endless belt, a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface and adapted to rest upon the tray supporting shelf until shoved into engagement with the endless belt, the said endless belt serving to carry the tray under the stripping means, means for retaining the leaves upon the tray, and means for collecting the tobacco.

12. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a main frame, a tray supporting shelf mounted thereon, an endless belt mounted upon the main frame, stripping means arranged over the endless belt, tray engaging fingers upon the endless belt, a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface and adapted to rest upon the before mentioned shelf until shoved into engagement with the fingers of the endless belt, the said endless belt serving to carry the tray under the stripping means, a stem clamp mounted upon the tray, means for automatically closing the stem clamp as the tray is advanced under the stripping means, means for collecting the tobacco, and means for removing the stripped stems from the tray.

13. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a main frame, a tray supporting shelf at the feed end of the main frame, an inclined tray chute at the opposite end of the frame, an endless belt mounted upon the frame, stripping means, a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface and adapted to rest upon the before mentioned shelf until shoved into engagement with the endless belt, the said endless belt serving to advance the tray into cooperative relation with the stripping means, a stem clamp upon the tray, means for automatically closing the stem clamp as the tray is advanced, means for collecting the tobacco, and a comb for scraping the stripped stems from the tray, the said tray being discharged from the end less belt to the inclined tray chute at the op posite end of the machine.

14. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a main frame, a tray supporting shelf at one end of the main frame, a tray chute at the opposite end of the main frame, an endless belt mounted upon the main frame, stripping means arranged over the endless belt, a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface and adapted to rest upon the before mentioned shelf until shoved into engagement with the endless belt, said endless belt serving to carry the tray under the stripping means, a normally open leaf stem clamp at the forward end of the tray, guide strips extending along opposite sides of the frame and having deflected ends adapted to engage the stem clamp and close the same as the tray is advanced, means for collecting the tobacco, and a comb for scraping the stripped stems from the tray after the stem clamp has passed out of engagement with the guide strips, the tray being discharged fromthe endless belt upon the before mentioned inclined tray chute.

15. A tobacco leaf stripping machine in-' cluding a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface, means for retaining a leaf in position upon the tray, a stripping brush, means for moving the tray under the stripping brush, and brush cleaning means carried by the tray.

' 16. A tobacco leaf stripping machine'including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface, a stem clamping bar at the forward end of the tray, means for advancing the tray, means for closing the stem clamp as the tray is advanced, a stripping brush under which the tray is carried as it is advanced, and brush cleaning means upon the stern clamping bar at the forward end of the tray.

17 A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface, a normally open stem clamping bar at the forward end of the tray, stripping means, means for moving the tray into oooperative relation with the stripping means,

and guide strips arranged upon opposite sides of the path of the tray for engagement with the stem clamping bar to move the saine into a closed position as the trayis advanced. 18. A tray for a tobacco leaf stripping machine, said tray being formed with a backing surface upon which the leaves are supported during the stripping operation.

19. A tray for tobacco stripping machines, said tray being provided with stem clamping means for retaining the leaves in position and being formed with a backing surface upon which the leaves are supported during the stripping operation;

20. A leaf carrying trayfor tobacco stripping machines formed witha corrugated backing surface upon which the leaves are supported during the stripping operation.

21. A tobacco leaf stripping machine including a tray formed with a leaf supporting surface, stem clamping means upon the tray, stripping means, means for carrying Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofvlatents,

Washington, D. G. 

